American Heritage Girls to celebrate first National Day of Service

Cincinnati, OH (August 24, 2012) - American Heritage Girls (AHG) across the country are changing their communities by demonstrating faith-filled servant leadership. Each year, AHG give hundreds of thousands of hours of service to their communities.

The first annual AHG National Day of Service will be celebrated on the third Saturday in September. It coincides with AHG's birthday. Since its inception in 1995, AHG has experienced 30 - 50 percent growth each year. Founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, AHG has grown from ten Troops and 100 members to more than 20,000 members spanning 47 states and four countries.

Service is one of the highest values in the AHG program. Last year, AHG membership provided more than 230,000 hours of service to communities around the globe. AHG's strong service arm offers girls opportunities to build character and leadership skills through community service and citizenship programs.

AHG is a faith-based character development program providing leadership for girls Kindergarten through 18 years of age in a safe and fun environment. More than 240 badges and outdoor activities are enjoyed within age appropriate levels. The mission of AHG is to build women of integrity through service to God, family, community and country.

Service plays an integral part in the AHG program from the youngest girls up to AHG's highest honor, the Stars and Stripes Award. This Award reinforces the organization's commitment to service by requiring girls to identify a need in their community and then plan, implement and supervise a 100+ hour project to address that need. The Stars and Stripes Award is equivalent to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Eagle Scout Award.

In 2009, AHG was presented a Memorandum of Mutual Support by the BSA. This Memorandum is historic in nature as it is the first presented to an all-girls' organization in the one hundred year history of the BSA. AHG and BSA charter Troops at local churches and private organizations to foster scouting for the whole family.

AHG Founder and Executive Director, Patti Garibay continues to be humbled and honored to watch the legacy of AHG take shape in the area of service. "Watching girls grow in their faith and discover their God-given purpose through the development of servant hearts is the greatest achievement of AHG." FOR MORE INFORMATION Jody Token National Public Relations Coordinator 175 TriCounty Parkway | Suite 100 | Cincinnati | OH | 45246 Phone: 513.771.2025 | Fax: 513.771.2595 news@ahgonline.org www.ahgonline.org For more information about the AHG National Day of Service http://www.ahgonline.org/nds AHG National Day of Service on YouTube AHGchannel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv7bYEFfHqU To schedule an interview with AHG Founder Patti Garibay, visit the Press Room